Comic book recommendations from the last 4-5 years?

I used to read a lot of comic books but at some point just couldn't find the space or time for them. Plus they're kind of expensive. For whatever reason I'm sort of feeling that itch again, and I'm looking to see what's new and interesting... I found out there's a new "Stray Bullets" anthology collection and I'm gonna order that. (I really really liked "Young Liars", the author's other comic). I might try to pick up 2-3 other things but I don't want to go overboard... Any recommendations?

I was always primarily into Vertigo, and stuff like that. Nothing against men in tights, but I'm getting plenty of that from movies, etc, and I know there's other stuff out there. I sometimes like artsy-fartsy Fantagraphics stuff, but I don't want anything depressing right now. Michael DeForge's stuff looks kind of interesting to me.

Thanks in advance :-)

Saga. Picked up the first volume in one of the Humble Image Comics Bundles not knowing a thing about it and fell in love with it. It's a space opera with a really gorgeous art style and fun, unique characters.

Saga

East of West

Fables

Locke & Key finally wrapped up, and I heartily recommend it to anybody. It's written by Stephen King's kid and drawn by some good artist. It's got really likeable characters, a cool setting, and a heartwarming, endearing narrative. Joe is like his old man in that he really knows how to make relatable, interesting, and endearing protagonists.

Some comics I always look forward to each month:

Wytches (Image/Scott Snyder who is the current writer for Batman. It's about a kind of supernatural cult and how it affects a family new to the area.)

Nailbiter (Image/Joshua Williamson. About a town that has produced a lot of serial killers, and the authorities who try to figure out why. A great Silence of the Lambs feel to it.)

Chew (Image/John Layman. It's... difficult to describe. FBI agent can learn the history of anything just by taking a bite of it. It's a fun book)

Enjoy!

Check out the Wake. It's a 10-part series written by Scott Snyder, and with Art by Sean Murphy.

Orc Stain is awesome, great art and a really amazing, bizarre world.

Saga, Saga, Saga, Saga,Saga, Saga, Saga, Saga,Saga, Saga, Saga, Saga

Also Saga is pretty pupping amazing

Invincible

Sex Criminals

Scott Pilgrim

Saga

Queen & Country

Black Hole

Has anybody mentioned Saga yet

American Vampire. And I'd make an exception for Scott Snyder's run on Detective Comics.

Anything by Scott Snyder. Anything. Also Chew by John Layman/Rob Guillory.

I just recently got into comics and so far my favorite series has been Hawkeye by Matt Fraction and David Aja. It's got great style all around, that's inspired by 70's detective shows/movies. Really sharp and clever dialogue. It focuses on his life when he's not being an Avenger, the in between time.

Also Saga.

I clicked on this thread to mention Saga.

Darwyn Cooke's Parker novel adaptations

I'll counter your Saga with The Incal (although it's not from the past 5 years)

I second the recommendation for Chew by John Layman and Rob Guillroy.

Another I also second-recommend is Hawkeye (2012-) by Matt Fraction and David Aja. Yes, it's about a superhero but there are no tights in this one. It's about the Avenger's life when he's not doing the superhero thing. I found it to be very down to earth and fun. Check out the My Life as a Weapon trade paperback collecting the first five issues if you're curious.

Truth be told, I did the exact same. But it's already in the first post, and then in each other post in this thread.

Alternatively, I'd recommend Brubaker's Criminal series or The Immortal Iron Fist run Brubaker did with Aja.

That's an older book, but Black Hole is freakin' amazing.

I'm surprised no one has suggested "Saga" yet, I thought that was supposed to be popular?

My top Ten: (Although really I love them all equally)

1.) Saga

2.) Sex Criminals

3.) The Goon (Loads and loads of volumes out there, Eric Powell's artwork/story-telling gets better and better)

4.) Howard the Duck (Ongoing series, soon to be collected. Really quirky and funny. Makes fun of the very nature of the Marvel universe in a way that's fun, and very much unlike Deadpool.)

5.) Big Man Plans (4 part series by Eric Powell and Tim Wiesch probably will be collected soon. An awesome revenge story. Basically: what if a modern day Tyrion-Lannister-esque guy was a trained killer)

6.) Rat Queens (Bad ass Merc ladies: a dwarven warrior, an Atheist Human Cleric, a Human sorceress, and a drug-peddling Hafling Rogue)

7.) The Bigger Bang (Interesting take on a godly superhero)

8.) The New (Lady) Thor

9) Afterlife With Archie (This one really surprised me. Really good horror writing... in the Archie universe)

10.) Sabrina (Again: really interesting horror writing set in the Archie universe)

Bonus recommendation: Saga.

Saga - nobody has mentioned Saga yet so I thought I should mention Saga because Saga is really good and people should read Saga.

Skullkickers - comedy fantasy about a duo and then trio of adventurers with great art, writing and colours. Just a pleasure to read. It's wrapping up soon so it'll be easy to get the entire run of it in trades and collected editions if you like it.

Wytches - a pretty great so far horror story about creatures called wytches that live in the woods surrounding a rural village and what goes on in the village.

Sex Criminals - two people who both freeze time when they orgasim find each other and start doing it to rob a bank for a Robin Hood style cause. But then it doesn't go to plan.

Hawkeye - probably one of the best Marvel books ever. Also just about to wrap up.

Rat Queens - like Skullkickers but with ladies and much more adult comedy.

East of West - The only book that I think is giving Saga a run for it's money as best book on the market. Four horsemen, end of the world, western, futuristic and stunning art.

Black Science - punk rock scientists make a device to visit different time lines. It does not go well.

Agent Venom - Venom from Spiderman turns into an Agent. He's a bad ass.

Uncanny X-Force - read everything that Rick Remender writes and you'll never go wrong.

Image is putting out a ton of great books every month, and the first volume of each book can be bought for under $10, so they're not that expensive.

Some recommendations:

• Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples
• Sex Criminals by Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky
• Chew by John Layman and Rob Guillory
• Zero by Ales Kot
• Southern Bastards by Jason Aaron and Jason Latour
• East of West by Jonathan Hickman and Nick Dragotta
• Deadly Class by Rick Remender and Wes Craig
• Black Science by Rick Remender and Matteo Scalera
• Peter Panzerfaust by Kurtis J. Wiebe and Tyler Jenkins

Not from Image but still great:

• Fables by Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham
• Y: The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra
• Punk Rock Jesus by Sean Murphy
• Mind MGMT by Matt Kindt
• Afterlife with Archie by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Francesco Francavilla
• Chilling Adventures of Sabrina by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Robert Hack (no paperback released for this one yet, though)
• Batman by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo
• Hawkeye by Matt Fraction and David Aja
• The Goon by Eric Powell
• American Vampire by Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque

Also, two fantastic graphic novels:

• Seconds by Bryan Lee O'Malley
• Through the Woods by Emily Carroll

That's probably enough suggestions for today. Happy reading!

My favorite book of 2014

Daytripper is the best thing I've read in the last 4-5 years, and it shouldn't be too expensive. I know there's a kindle version out there too.

As for right now, Southern Bastards is the best thing out there by my reckoning.

Saga

The Sixth Gun is really great and no one really seems to talk about it. It's really great, though b

If you haven't yet, I'd recommend S--

*reads the posts in the thread*

--oomething like Ms. Marvel. I know, I know, it's a super hero comic book. But it's the only Super Hero one I read right now. It has an interesting Pakistani main character, and the art is gorgeous, especially in the later issues. It's definitely not blockbuster stuff, some cool emotional arcs and culture clash issues in this one.

Also I've heard good things about East of West, even though I have not read it yet.

Blacksad has been my favourite even since I picked the first album. Few of the stories aren't as good, but holy crap, if the art's not amazing!

• Saga, because saga.
• The Wicked And The Divine is really good, about a bunch of teenagers in London who get the power of norse gods and will all be dead within 2 years. A little bit hipstery, but that's kinda the point I guess.
• Y the Last Man (not sure how old it is) but it's also great, written by the same guy as saga and it's about the only man left on the planet.

If you're interested in Marvel I'd recommend:

• Uncanny X-Force (Volume 1)
• Hawkeye Vs Deadpool (Both volumes)
• Hawkeye (Volume 1, Marvel NOW)
• Young Avengers (Volume 2) written by the same dude as The Wicked and the Divine.

I'm not some big hawkeye fanboy (I actually think he's pretty dull) but marvel has been absolutely nailing the writing in these books recently, very funny, original, and the art is fantastic. At one point he goes deaf and they replace all the speech with drawings of sign language.

A graphic novel called Solestar by Siike Donnelly might catch your fancy. Cool superheros and villains, complex philosophical story, and over 60 artists. The more I read it, the more I understand about it. It's a really cool novel.

Oh, I forgot to mention. It is a charity novel for the Naive Project, so expect a few brain aneurysms in the book.

Redbullet685's list is super solid - you won't get disappointed by any entry he listed.